I Am Still Here
by jadefirefly3D
Summary: Everyone was too happy to see that Stan had his memories back to really question it. But maybe they should have. His memories came back too quickly, too easily and if Stanley Pines wasn't irrevocably erased, does it not stand to reason that he wasn't the only one?
A/N OMG I could not for the life of me get this out of my head. It hijacked my thoughts every time I tried to continue my other stories. I jotted the idea down to write later, hoping it would clear my head so I could focus but GAHHHH! I needed to get it out of my system I guess. This is a one shot, kind of drabble-ish, that is complete as it is, but there's room for more. Maybe.

Enjoy!

* * *

 **I AM STILL HERE**

"Quit it Waddles!"

It's the first thing I hear after Sixer tried to erase me. Things cut in and out for a few seconds and then I hear Pine Tree and Shooting Star talking about what's in her scrapbook of memories.

Ah yes, the memories that got wiped from existence when those original Mystery Twins tricked me into entering the wrong Stan's mind. I can't believe that's my downfall. Fordsy and his dumb brother, managed to trick me. Unbelievable. What's more surprising is that they stopped fighting long enough to come up with a _plan_! I guess there's something about your niece and nephew being in immediate mortal danger that puts things into perspective.

In hindsight I should've just killed Shooting Star outright instead of wasting time pretending to make up my mind on which one to kill. As if there was any need for debate. While her random weirdness is amusing enough that it's be worth it to keep her around, she also used that against me and _won_ kicking me out of her brother's body that one time... I don't like being beaten by little girls. Besides, tormenting Pine Tree is fun and what better way to do it than obliterate his sister right before his eyes?

Talk about a missed opportunity! Maybe it wouldn't have changed the outcome of my fate, but I certainly would've left a lasting impact.

As Shooting Star and Pine Tree talk, I begin to see things too. At first there's nothing but white, but as Stanley's memories come back to him, I take form in Stanley's mindscape, but it's faint like I'm not really there. But the fact is that I'm still here. The thing about immortal beings, we can't be destroyed that easily. Even Time Baby will return eventually.

Truth be told though, between you and me, despite that fact, I really thought I was a goner. I know, weird right? A powerful, immortal creature like me! See the thing is, people have tried to destroy me before, but no one tried to _erase_ me from existence before. I guess in a roundabout way it's my fault, which is why I got a little worried there.

When Old Man McGuckett accidentally caught a glimpse of my universe, he _may_ have acquired some divine knowledge that lead to his insanity, including the design to a weapon that was meant to destroy me that I stole from Time Baby. The things he saw, the things he learned in those few seconds were never meant for mortals, and as brilliant as he was for a mere human, his mind couldn't handle it. Why else would I show him all those things beyond human understanding? He's a lot more entertaining when he's crazy. You may call it insanity, but I call it FUNsanity! Because watching his decent to madness was hilarious.

But the knowledge was there in his subconscious, and it gave him the ability to invent something that's centuries ahead of its time. Sure, it wasn't the same as what he saw when he spied on my world, but it was close enough to have me a little concerned.

Of all the weapons created by mortals used to destroy me, the memory eraser is the one thing that in theory could've worked. However, if Stanley's memories are coming back, it means something went wrong and it didn't work like it was supposed to.

Oh crap, I wonder if they've caught on that I'm still here!

I watch them tentatively, hiding in the shadows of Stan's faded memories gaging whether or not I should be concerned but it quickly becomes apparent that, for now at least I'm in the clear. Everyone is too happy to see their beloved Grunkle Stan has his memories back to question it.

Idiots.

After all they'd been through, it doesn't even occur to them to be suspicious? That's something I expect from Mabel, she's far too trusting, but Ford with his unhealthy levels of paranoia? And Dipper, his young protégé? I have to admit I'm a little surprised. They of all people should know that it was too easy. The fact his memories are coming back at all should be their first clue, since they know that's not supposed to happen.

It took Fiddleford thirty years to get even a fraction of his mind back, and Stanley only a few hours. His memories are coming back too quickly and yet doesn't even cross their mind that if that's the case then logically I might come back too.

Oh, it's too funny! If I had a mouth, I would smile right now. Instead I laugh. Quietly, so I won't alert Stan to my presence and ruin everything. I have to play my cards right, and that means staying out of sight and out of mind, at least until I get my strength back. Until then I'm stuck here, still vulnerable to being erased and unable to do more than watch.

No problem. I've waited over a billion years to take over, and it might take a millennium before I can try again, but compared to a billion years, that's only a minor setback. I can wait.

I just have to stay low and lick my wounds, get my strength back and then get my revenge on the Pines Family. They're fools if they think they can defeat me and get away with it.

Just wait and see.

It might take months, it might take years, but I _will_ get my revenge. I just have to be patient.

Again. No problem. What's a year to a being who's over a trillion years old?

I've been here since the beginning. Since before the creation of this dimension that I want for my own.

I've been around to watch the entire life cycle of a star, I've witnessed the formation of the Milky Way, I've seen the first spec of life form on this planet. I've seen the rise and fall of countless civilizations in countless dimensions.

I was here when that spaceship crashed into Gravity Falls a million years ago. (I hate to brag but… OK just kidding, I _love_ to brag, but I even had a hand in causing it.)

I was here to be worshipped by civilizations that even in ancient times were considered ancient.

I was here when the prophecy about my ascent to power was made and written on the walls of the caves.

I was here when the first of the indigenous people found the land that's now known as Gravity Falls and then promptly and wisely left because it was cursed.

I was here through every major event on this planet in this dimension. Watching, always watching.

"I'll never forget you!" Shooting Star tells the town sometime later, as I watch from the corner of Stan's eye, hidden and undetected by everyone, including my dumb host. She pauses and gleefully stomps on the memory erasing gun, breaking it. Unbeknownst to _everyone,_ much to my amusement (and relief) she just destroyed the only weapon that can theoretically stop me for good, "OK, _now_ I'll never forget you!"

I laugh.

I may be beaten and broken, trapped in the mindscape of Sixer's twin brother, useless and practically dormant, but I'm not defeated. You foolish Pines may have won the battle, but you haven't really, truly _won._

I am still here, slowly growing stronger.

One day I will be strong enough to hijack Stanley Pines' puny mind and I will have my revenge. They won't even see me coming. But they will see their beloved Grunkle Stan coming… they just won't know that he'll be riding shotgun in his own mind. It's going to torture him so, to watch helplessly when I use him to make his family suffer! But that's what you get for tricking me.

One day, I will be strong enough to get back my physical form and I will conquer this dimension and make it my own. By then Pines legacy will be reduced to nothing more than dust, the Zodiac Prophecy will be lost and forgotten and there will be no one left to rise up against me and stop me.

In the meantime, I'll be here as always, hiding in the gaps of Stan's fractured memories, watching and waiting and biding my time.

I would say I'll be back, but that would be pointless, really.

I can't return because little do these morons know, despite their best efforts to destroy me, I never left. I was never gone.

I am still here.

* * *

A/N I thought that the way they defeated Bill (with the memory erasing gun-seemed weird that would be the thing that defeats him) and Stan getting his memories back was too easy, I mean the finale was amazing and the show is practically perfect, so it's not a huge complaint but there you go.

Anyway, thanks for reading, a review would be lovely. Please? I'd love to know what you wonderful guys thought, good or bad!


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